On my way to work this morning, I accidentally (and a little aggressively) tried to pass a cyclist who was turning left. She motioned angrily at me and yelled, "Hey! I'm turning!"
I was a little out of it, and taken aback, and therefore failed to respond. I just rode by in silence. We continued along the same route, turned into the same parking garage, and then parked our bikes in the same bike cage. So she's a co-worker, I realized.
It reminded me how important it is to be aware of your surroundings and to treat everyone with respect. I should treat everyone I encounter as if it's someone I have to see every day, not just because they might actually be a co-worker, but because that's how everyone deserves to be treated.
That same evening, I rode my bike home more slowly and more carefully. I stopped at a stop sign in Golden Gate Park to let a car that had been waiting go. The car started to pull into the intersection when a bike zipped by me, and took the car's turn. I looked over at the driver, expecting him to impatiently wave me along, or give me a cyclist-hating stare. Instead he just smiled and gave me a thumbs up. He choose to thank me for stopping rather than get hung up on the cyclist who didn't.
That's the right attitude, I thought as I smiled and waved back.
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